I Literacy MonthA. Zone21(A) Coordinator Jaime Ospina-Velasco’s message to the clubs and districts in Zone 21(A) – After presenting President John Kenny’s Family of Rotary Month message to his zone, coordinator Jaime added the following important comment, «Rotarians working in the area of literacy should be inspired by President John Kenny’s words to develop projects which take advantage of the family structure and reinforce the practice of reading …helping especially illiterate mothers …to overcome this inhuman condition which is such a powerful cause of illiteracy».
B. The special case of IMAGINATION LIBRARY ( In North America and the UK) and somewhat comparable alternatives ( In the rest of the world).
Clubs in North America and the United Kingdom should consider an Imagination Library project as one way to respond to President John’s message and zone coordinator Jaime’s follow-up suggestion. Remember that Imagination Library was endorsed by the RI board of directors as a special emphasis. Since Imagination Library is not available in the rest of the world, clubs in those areas will have to come up with alternative ways of encouraging parents to read to their children at home. This is an opportunity, not a problem
C. The special relevance of adult literacy projects for girls and women
Zone coordinator Jaime is quite right in emphasizing this area of opportunity for literacy projects. Numerous examples of how Rotary clubs around the world are doing just that can be found in the download section of our secondary web site, http://www.rizones30-31.net/. Also be aware of the fact that two of our special emphases, CALS and CLE, are already being used by various clubs and districts to address this problem.
II. Promoting the District Literacy Award – Insights from the Newest District to Have 100% of Its Clubs Earn the District Literacy Award ( D-3830, The Philippines)
A. How District 3830 did it
A major discovery has just been made. Zone coordinator Jimmy Cura reports that last year District 3830 ( Philippines) had all of its clubs earn the District Literacy Award. That makes three districts to do so last year. District 3830 made that happen by using the annual reports of the clubs to identify those clubs which had earned the award. With the encouragement of DG Edgardo Limon and the initiative of DC Edna Sutter, a volunteer team of past presidents who were also active on the overall District Awards Committee went through all of the year-end reports and identified projects which qualified under the definitions issued by the RI Literacy Resource Group. In order to make this happen the district had to extend the deadline for applications. Doing so was an appropriate action of DG Edgardo Limon. Not only was the action legal, but it was done in the spirit which should guide the work of all of us --- Let’s not sit back and let the clubs apply for the District Literacy Award. If we do, many club presidents won’t bother to apply and their club will be denied the recognition. So district leaders are welcome to think and act proactively.
B. How D-5000 and D-6000 did it
The other two districts where all clubs earned the District Literacy Award were D-5000 ( Hawaii,USA) and D-6900 (Georgia,USA). In those two cases the feat was accomplished by intensive communication, monitoring and some «hand-holding» on the part of the district literacy chairpersons ( Gloria King in Hawaii and Brenda Erickson in Georgia). In these two cases the deadline did not have to be extended.
III. Preparing for Literacy Month (March 2010)
A. Literacy Month Goals for Clubs to Keep in Mind
Every club should do something to celebrate Literacy Month. Doing so is a family responsibility (Family of Rotary). But the RILRG encourages clubs to raise their aspirations and set two or more of the following 5 goals for the club’s Literacy Month actions. Goal # 1 – Do something which generates local publicity. Goal # 2 – Do a literacy project which benefits the local community or the international community. Goal # 3 – If the club does not yet qualify for the District Literacy Award, do enough qualifying projects to earn the award by the end of March.. Goal # 4 – Devote one of the club’s March meetings to making the membership aware of what Rotary clubs around the world do in terms of literacy projects. Goal # 5 – Ask one or more motivated club members to review what other clubs are doing in terms of literacy projects and, using that information, identify possible new projects which the club might initiate in 2010-2011.
B. Where to find examples and inspiration (Attachment included)
Rotary clubs can find plenty of examples of things to do by visiting our two web sites. Note that past issues of our monthly literacy newsletter can be found at www.rizones30-31.net. In addition, zone coordinators should regularly send examples and suggestions to the clubs through the districts. An example is attached for your convenience.
IV. Finishing the Literacy Census of Clubs in Your District
We have two weeks to go to complete the literacy censuses. Do what you can to complete yours on time. But do not put yourself under undue stress to meet the December 15th deadline. Send what you have on the 15th and we’ll worry about the missing clubs later.
The Future of Rotary Is in Your Hands
Richard Hattwick
B. The special case of IMAGINATION LIBRARY ( In North America and the UK) and somewhat comparable alternatives ( In the rest of the world).
Clubs in North America and the United Kingdom should consider an Imagination Library project as one way to respond to President John’s message and zone coordinator Jaime’s follow-up suggestion. Remember that Imagination Library was endorsed by the RI board of directors as a special emphasis. Since Imagination Library is not available in the rest of the world, clubs in those areas will have to come up with alternative ways of encouraging parents to read to their children at home. This is an opportunity, not a problem
C. The special relevance of adult literacy projects for girls and women
Zone coordinator Jaime is quite right in emphasizing this area of opportunity for literacy projects. Numerous examples of how Rotary clubs around the world are doing just that can be found in the download section of our secondary web site, http://www.rizones30-31.net/. Also be aware of the fact that two of our special emphases, CALS and CLE, are already being used by various clubs and districts to address this problem.
II. Promoting the District Literacy Award – Insights from the Newest District to Have 100% of Its Clubs Earn the District Literacy Award ( D-3830, The Philippines)
A. How District 3830 did it
A major discovery has just been made. Zone coordinator Jimmy Cura reports that last year District 3830 ( Philippines) had all of its clubs earn the District Literacy Award. That makes three districts to do so last year. District 3830 made that happen by using the annual reports of the clubs to identify those clubs which had earned the award. With the encouragement of DG Edgardo Limon and the initiative of DC Edna Sutter, a volunteer team of past presidents who were also active on the overall District Awards Committee went through all of the year-end reports and identified projects which qualified under the definitions issued by the RI Literacy Resource Group. In order to make this happen the district had to extend the deadline for applications. Doing so was an appropriate action of DG Edgardo Limon. Not only was the action legal, but it was done in the spirit which should guide the work of all of us --- Let’s not sit back and let the clubs apply for the District Literacy Award. If we do, many club presidents won’t bother to apply and their club will be denied the recognition. So district leaders are welcome to think and act proactively.
B. How D-5000 and D-6000 did it
The other two districts where all clubs earned the District Literacy Award were D-5000 ( Hawaii,USA) and D-6900 (Georgia,USA). In those two cases the feat was accomplished by intensive communication, monitoring and some «hand-holding» on the part of the district literacy chairpersons ( Gloria King in Hawaii and Brenda Erickson in Georgia). In these two cases the deadline did not have to be extended.
III. Preparing for Literacy Month (March 2010)
A. Literacy Month Goals for Clubs to Keep in Mind
Every club should do something to celebrate Literacy Month. Doing so is a family responsibility (Family of Rotary). But the RILRG encourages clubs to raise their aspirations and set two or more of the following 5 goals for the club’s Literacy Month actions. Goal # 1 – Do something which generates local publicity. Goal # 2 – Do a literacy project which benefits the local community or the international community. Goal # 3 – If the club does not yet qualify for the District Literacy Award, do enough qualifying projects to earn the award by the end of March.. Goal # 4 – Devote one of the club’s March meetings to making the membership aware of what Rotary clubs around the world do in terms of literacy projects. Goal # 5 – Ask one or more motivated club members to review what other clubs are doing in terms of literacy projects and, using that information, identify possible new projects which the club might initiate in 2010-2011.
B. Where to find examples and inspiration (Attachment included)
Rotary clubs can find plenty of examples of things to do by visiting our two web sites. Note that past issues of our monthly literacy newsletter can be found at www.rizones30-31.net. In addition, zone coordinators should regularly send examples and suggestions to the clubs through the districts. An example is attached for your convenience.
IV. Finishing the Literacy Census of Clubs in Your District
We have two weeks to go to complete the literacy censuses. Do what you can to complete yours on time. But do not put yourself under undue stress to meet the December 15th deadline. Send what you have on the 15th and we’ll worry about the missing clubs later.
The Future of Rotary Is in Your Hands
Richard Hattwick
November 2009
PHOTOS: Chico Chablitz, from Brazil, one of the great leaders for Literacy in South America; Rebuildind Lospalos Traditional Houses in East Timor (Henrique Pinto in the celebration Ceremony), started the literacy Project in this youngest country, paying teachers salary in 60 schools
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